The Inner Mirror: Kannada Writings on Society and Culture

Some contemporary writings in Kannada are evocative testimonies to the complexities of life in India. Yet, they remain marginal and have not been incorporated into the English sociological or anthropological discussions on either regional or Indian society and culture. As social commentaries, several Kannada writings highlight the complexities and contradictions of societies and combine cultural criticism with sociological reflexivity. Drawing on multiple sources such as folk and oral traditions, personal experiences and observations, and even classical literature, the essays in this book bridge the gap between representations of oral and literary sources. Many of the essays encapsulate the experiences and voices of a range of persons, and represent issues, trends, events and processes that remain under-represented in English language social science writings on India.